Target-trap.



i PA-T'ENTED JUNE 6, 1905. F. HARDY.

TARGET TRAP. APPLICATION FILED APRLIB. 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented June 6, 1905.

FREDERICK HARDY, MOUNTPLEASANT, TENNESSEE.

TARGET-TRAP.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 791,776, dated June 6,1905. Application filed April 18, 1904.. Serial No. 203,657.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, FREDERICK HARDY, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing inMountpleasant, in the county of Maury and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTarget-Traps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

My invention relates to a trap for use in throwing targets, such as claypigeons, for

sharp-shooters practice; and it-embodies av construction in whichprovision is made for the seating of one person in connection with thetrap-frame in such manner that said frame may be readily rotated to varythe direction in which a target is thrown from the trap,

whereby said person is in a position to feed the targets readily intothe throw-arm carrier.

It also includes means whereby a second person, preferably located at adistance from the trap, may quickly and efliciently actuate thetarget-trap throw-arm spring mechanism and latch mechanism.

Figure I is a top or plan view of my trap and operating mechanism withparts of the operating mechanism broken out." Fig. '11 is a verticallongitudinal View, partly in section,

on the line II II, Fig. I. Fig. III is a vertir cal cross-section taken.on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a perspective view of the forwardportions of the throw-arm latch mechanism. Fig. V is a horizontalsection taken on line V V, Fig. II. Fig. VI isavertical section taken online VI VI, Fig. II. Fig. VII is an enlarged vertical longitudinalsection taken through the outer ends of the supporting-arm of thetrap-frame, throw-arm, and parts coexistent therewith. Fig. VIII is ahorizontal section taken on line VIII VIII, Fig. VII, with parts beneathsaid line shown in top or plan view. Fig. IX is an enlarged verticalsection taken on lineIX IX, Fig. I.

1 designates the foundation or base on which my trap is mounted, and 2is a tubular stand having legs 3 seated on said foundation.

head 4 and u pon which theperson feeding the trap and controlling thedirection in which it is positioned for target-throwing action sits.

Projecting from the head I, at the opposite side thereof from that atwhich the seat is located, are a pair of foot-arms 6, bearing foot rests7, upon which the trap operator places his feet, so that he is alwayssupported by the head to move with the trap as said head is rotated fromside to side. For the purpose of permitting the trap operator mounted onthe seat '5 to swing himself, and consequently the trap, I provide apost 8, extending upwardly from the foundation 1, and connect to saidpost a handle 9, which may be grasped by the operator. It will be seenthat when the seat is in a position adjacent'to the post 8 the operatormay place his hand thereagainst to push himself in a direction away fromthe post and that by maintaining a hold upon the handle 9 he may whenthe seat has been swung into a position more remote from the post drawhimself and the seat in a direction toward thepost, thereby securing anydesired position around the axial line of the head 4.

To provide for'a more ready return of the seat to a normal positionafter it has been moved laterally in either direction from its normalposition, I connect to the seat a return-spring 10, that is in turnunited to the foundation 1 by acord 11 or other suitable connection.

l2 designates a main supporting-arm, the inner end of which is connectedto the upper end of the head 4 by a clamp-bolt l3 in such manner thatthe arm may be adjusted vertically to secure any desired inclinationthereof with respect to said head.

14 is a shaft that passes loosely through thecarrier 16, that ispreferably of the form illustrated in the drawings, but for which noinvention is herein claimed, the said part being made the subject-matterof a separate application for patent at present pending in the UnitedStates Patent Ofliee, Serial No. 195,029, filed February 24, 1904. Thelower end of the shaft 14 extends to a position beneath the outer end ofthe main supporting-arm 12, and loosely fitted to said shaft is aswing-arm 17, that is provided with a leg 18.

19 is a plate fixed to the shaft 14 and bearing stop-pins 20 and 21, thelatter of which contains a stop-screw 21 and is provided with a stud 22,that projects beneath the lower face of said plate.

23 is a retractile spring coiled around the shaft 14 and having an arm24, that is connected to the swinging-arm leg 18, and an arm 25, that isconnected to the stud 22.

26 is a main power-spring that is connected to the swinging-arm leg 18and in which power is stored when the spring is placed under tension bymeans to be hereinafter described.

- I will next describe the latch mechanism by which the throw-arm isheld while the target to be thrown is fed into the target-carrierprevious to being discharged on the operation of the throw-arm.

The upper side of the main supporting-arm 12 at the location of thelatch is grooved, as seen at 27, Figs. III and 1V, and extendinglaterally from said arm is a grooved extension 28.

29 is a main latch-arm that is bifurcated at its rear end to produce apair of fork-arms 30, that are pivoted to the outer end of the extension28 by a pin 31.

32 is an auxiliary latch positioned between the fork-arms and alsomounted on the pivot-pin 31, this last-named latch being provided at itsinner end with a lip 33, that occupies a position beneath the latch 29,as seen in Fig. III, and the upper portion of the latch projects to agreater elevation than the rear most portion of the latch 29.

34 is a spring secured at one end to the supporting-arm 12 and havingits free end positioned beneath the auxiliary latch 32, so that itserves to normally uphold both the auxiliary latch and main latch, dueto the engagement of the lip 33 with the main latch.

At the upperside of the forward end of the main latch is a projection35, that receives the engagement of the throw-arm 15. At the under sideof the main latch is an eye 36, to which is connected a pull-cord 37.

38 designates a boxing that is preferably located adjacent to theposition occupied by the sharp-shooters at practice. To this boxing ispivoted a hand-lever 39, and at one side of the boxing is a catch 40,(see Fig. 1,) into engagement with which said hand-lever is pressed in alateral direction through the medium of a spring 41, that is carried bythe hand-lever and rides against the wall of the boxing opposite thatbearing said catch.

42 is a pull-cord that leads from the handlever 39 to the mainpower-spring 26, traversing in its course a sheave 43, mounted on ashaft 44, seated in the stand 2, from which it passes upwardly throughthe stand and the rotatable head 4 and over a sheave 45 to extendintoconnection with the main powerspring.

46 is a rocking handle pivoted at 47 to the hand-lever 39, the saidhandle being so fitted to the hand-lever, as illustrated in Fig. IX, asto limit its rearward movement and provide for only forward rockingmovement thereof. At the rear side of the handle 46 is an arm 48, towhich is connected the pull-cord 37 that is united to the main latch 29,as previously stated. This pull-cord passes from the arm 48 downwardlyand beneath a sheave 49 and therefrom to a sheave 50 on the shaft 44,from which it extends to the connection with the main latch.

In the use of the trap the operation is as follows: The operator, whofeeds the trap and controls the direction in which the targets arethrown, occupies the seat 5 and introduces the targets into the carrier16 each time that the throw-arm is brought into engagement with thelatch mechanism of the trap subsequent to the throwing of a target andat the same time swings the trap-frame by rotativc movement imparted tothe frame in the manner explained. The operator who actuates thethrow-arm power-spring mechanism and the throw-arm-controlling latchactuates these members through the medium of the handlever 39 and itshandle 46. In putting the parts into operative condition for thethrowing of a target the hand-lever handle is lirst grasped and drawnrearwardly to move the said lever into engagement with the catch 40,thereby distending the main power-spring 26 and storing power therein,at which time the swinging arm 17, to which the power-spring isconnected, occupies the position illustrated in the drawings, Figs. I,II, VII, and VIII, in which it rests against the stud 20 of the plate19. The hand-lever handle 46 is then rocked forwardly into the positionseen in dotted lines, Fig. II, thereby placing the pull-cord 37 understrain to lower the main latch 29 and disengage it from the throw-arm 15to permit the rotation of said throw-arm and discharge the targetpreviously placed in the carrier 16. During the rotation of thethrow-arm the plate 19 is carried therewith, and therefore the studs 20and 21 on said plate move in a circle corresponding to the movement ofthe throw-arm. At the time that the throw-arm and said plate havecompleted their circuit the swinging arm 17 will occupy a position, asindicated by dotted lines, Fig. VIII, against the stud 21, due to saidarm being loosely fitted to the shaft 14 and the throw-spring remainingactive with respect to said swinging arm after the throw-arm has beenactuated. The rotation of the throw-arm having been thus effected, thenext step is-to place the parts in their previous normal positions, andthis is accomplished by releasing the handlever 39 from the catch 40 andmoving it for-' wardly, thereby, permitting the contraction of the mainthrow-spring and eliminating the tension therein. The swinging arm 17 istherefore rendered free of restraint by the main power-spring, and it isreturned to its operative position through the medium of the spring 23,connected to the swinging-arm leg, as explained, so that said swingingarm will again bear against the plate-stud 20 to move said plate andactuate the throw-arm, when the power-spring is again placed undertension and the throw-arm released in the manner previously described.Each time that the throw-arm is brought into engagement with with thestop-screw 21', which may be adjusted in said stop-pin as desired toproperly position the swinging arm when it is brought to rest againstthe stop-screw, for the purpose of so locating the swinging arm that itwill be the more readily acted upon by the returnspring, by which it isretracted to the stoppin 20, when the main power-spring is relieved oftension.

I claim as my invention 1. In a target-trap, the combination with astand, a trap-frame and target-throwing members supported thereby, of arotatable member supported by saidstand and carrying said frame, and aseat supported by said rotatable member to move therewith, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a target-trap, the combination with a stand, a trap-frame andtarget-throwing members supported thereby, of a rotatable membersupported by said stand and carrying said frame, aseat supported by saidrotatable member to move therewith, and foot-supporting members alsocarried by said rotatable member, substantially asset forth.

3. In a target-trap, the combination of a stand, a rotatable memberfitted to said stand, a seat carried by said rotatable member, means forreturning said seat and rotatable member after rotation thereof, a framecarried by said rotatable member, and target-throwing mech' anismconnected to said frame, substantially as set forth.

connection with said power-spring, a latch for receiving the engagementof said throw-arm,

a rocking handle carried by said hand-lever,

and means of connection between said latch and rocking handle,substantially as set forth.

6. In a target-trap, the combination of a throw-arm, means forsupporting said throwarm, a'shaft fixed to said throw-arm and extendingthrough said supporting means, a swinging arm loosely fitted to saidshaft, a plate fixed to said shaft and arranged to receive theengagement of said swinging arm, a main power spring having connectionwith said swinging arm, and means for placing said power-spring undertension, substantially as set forth.

7. In a target-trap, the combination of a throw-arm, means forsupporting said throwarm, a shaft fixed to said throw-arm and extendingthrough said supporting means, a swingingarm loosely fitted to saidshaft, a plate fixed to said shaft and arranged to receive theengagement of said swinging arm, a main power-spring having connectionwith said swinging arm, means for placing said powerspring undertension, and means for returning said swinging arm to normal positionafter said power-spring has been relieved of tension, substantially asset forth.

8. In a target-trap, the combination of a throw-arm, a supporting-arm, ashaft fixed to said throw-arm and passing through said supporting-arm, aplate fixed to said shaft, studs carried by said plate, a swinging armloosely fitted to said shaft, a power-spring connected to said swingingarm, and a return-spring carried by said shaft and having engagementwith said plate and said swingingarm to carry said swinging arm to itsnormal position after said power-spring has been relieved of tension,substantially as set forth.

9. In a target-trap, the combination of athrow-arm support, a throw-armrotatably mounted on said support, a main latch having pivotalconnection with said support, a pivotally-mounted auxiliary latchprovided with means for engaging said main latch, a spring for upholdingsaid latches, and means for withdrawing said main latch from engagementwith said throw-arm, substantially as set forth.

10. In a target-trap, the combination of a throw-arm support, a throwarmrotatably ing" said latches, and means for Withdrawing mounted on saidsupport, a main latch having said main latch from engagement with saidpivotal connection with said support and prothrow-arm, substantially asset forth.

vided with a bifurcated rear end, an auxiliary FREDERICK HARDY.

latch pivotally mounted Within the rear end In presence of of' sald mamlatch and provided with at 11p en- NELLIE V. ALEXANDER, gaging said mainlatch, a spring for support- I BLANOHE HOGAN.

